New report shows why changing leaders doesn’t change politics in Africa Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Leadership change results in an initial wave of optimism. But ongoing political challenges and constraints mean that it is often a case of “the more things change the more they stay the same. …

Interview with Wamkele Mene, Secretary General, African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat (AfCFTA) Wamkele Mene was recently appointed Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat. Because of COVID-19, free trade for countries that have ratified the agreement did not begin, as planned, on 1 July 2020. In …

Reveals net worth of €4bn | THE INDEPENDENT | The Vatican says it has been “swindled” in some of its investments, including a multi-million-pound property deal in London, as it revealed for the first time that it holds total assets worth about €4 billion. The Holy See took the unusual …

Ex-minister Sandip Verma allegedly broke rules after family firm signed deals worth £88m A Conservative peer has been accused of breaching the ministerial code after her family firm signed multimillion-pound deals to supply Uganda’s government with solar power equipment. Sandip Verma’s company, Nexus Green, has signed two deals worth more …

Scientists around the world are already battling superbugs worse that COVID-19 | PROF. DAVID W GRAHAM AND PROF. PETER COLLIGNON | For many years, people believed antibiotic resistance in bacteria was primarily driven by imprudent use of antibiotics in clinical and veterinary settings. But growing evidence suggests that environmental factors …

‘Elimination of polio virus is testimony that vaccines work’ Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | Dr. Alfred Driwale, the programme manager of the Uganda National Expanded Programme on Immunization in the Ministry of Health was probably one of the happiest people on Aug. 25 when the World Health Organization (WHO) …

The company executives say focus on digitization will drive growth of business going forward Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | MTN Uganda has reported a 9.1% increase in net profit to Shs442.6billion for the first six months of 2020. According to company’s latest interim results, the performance was driven by …

Pay-as-you-go off-grid solar energy is bringing electricity to millions across Africa. Ian Lewis reports Falling costs and improved sales networks mean that small-scale solar power for households or micro-businesses is taking off across Africa. Crucially, this is fast becoming a self-sustaining sector that can generate its own revenues, and allowing numerous companies of …

Lockdown measures imposed in a number of countries to combat the spread of Covid-19 (coronavirus) are unprecedented. Understandably, in times of social distancing, many people are looking to mobile apps for entertainment, to socialise, work and even keep fit. | THE INDEPENDENT | Of course apps and technology services as …

What government needs to quickly communicate to reduce anxiety and misinformation about its next moves COMMENT | JOSEPH WERE | The 21-day countrywide lockdown that President Yoweri Museveni announced on April 14 ends on May 05. It was an extension to the earlier 14-day lockdown. The main question now is …